Thursday [June] 25 [1863]

Morning pretty quiet, but in the
afternoon the enemy opens very
briskly on the line and on the
river front, and blows up
by mine the redan on the
Jackson road -- our loss by it
in men slight -- in position little
or nothing, as we had sunk
in the hill just in rear of the

[portion of page torn away]

men will be
better protected and can com-
mand the approach as well.
They advanced for some distance
towards the breach behind logs
but did not assault -- this
there is every indication of
occurring tonight or at day-
light tomorrow morning -- the
enemy having massed his for-
ces in the ravines and his
works in front of the centre
and the left of Stevenson.

Distant firing said to have
been heard -- God grant it may
be Johnston! the unusual ac-
tivity & stir among the be-
siegers is I think indicative
of some movement taking place
on their rear; and if they
attempt an assault it will
strengthen this conjecture; for
if the enemy felt secure in
his present position, and as-
sured of his ability to contin-
ue the siege, until our sub-
sistence be exhausted, which
he must know will be soon,
he would much prefer to wait
quietly and patiently for that
event than to lose the numbers of
men that he knows, by ex-
perience, he will have to,
in storming our works; and
that too with doubtful -- very
doubtful -- chance of success.

Matters are drawing rapidly
to a focus, and a week or two
will decide whether this strong
hold with its garrison is to
[be] saved to the confederacy or
sacrificed by the indifference,
imbecility or ignorance of the
administration, or over
caution and want of dash
in the Genl sent to our relief.
That the powers in Richmond
have never realized the "si-
tuation" in this Dept -- its
requirements, the relation of
its strategical points, and
its difficult and exposed
lines of communications -- is
evidenced by the replies made
to demands, urged as posi-
tive and vital necessities:
and the neglect of, and non-
compliance with our requests
that the cavalry (belonging to
this Dept) which was taken
away only temporarily"! and
for a special service, be re-
turned. This deprivation
left us powerless -- impotent
-- as a man with his arms
lopped off -- utterly unable
to protect our front, rear or
flanks, or to keep our lines
of communication. Here
lies the root and foundation
of all the disasters that
have befallen us -- from
four to five thousand cav-
alry -- or even three -- could
have prevented Grant's debark-
ation at Bruinsburg -- or, if
not his, have rendered his
movement thence into the
state hazardous -- yes, fatal
to his army; and have pre-
vented Vicksburg being be-
leaguered and jeoparded, as
it now is. So small an
additon to our strength, in
that branch of the service,
in which we had been left
so utterly deficient,would,
I am firmly convinced, have
saved us! But

To mourn a mischief that is
past & gone,
Is the next way to draw new
mischief on.

& all will be well if it ends
well.

Have I a right to any opinion
on these matters? I think I
have, but being a young whip-
persnapper, probably I ought
to refrain from expressing them;
however, they haven't much
weight with myself, and I
don't expect them to have any
with other people. I do but
form them after a plan, un-
prejudiced -- perhaps superfi-
cial -- regard of the facts and
circumstances by my judge-
ment; and am not dogmati-
cal in forcing them on others.




Quotation from Shakespeare's "Othello"